The girls recently spent a week taking swim lessons from Coach Anne. This was Ellie's second year and Sadie Kate's first. Ellie loves swimming and playing in the pool, but doesn't care too much for the structure of learning and practicing technique, stroke, and breathing. Sadie Kate likes the steps...that's about it. Ellie's lessons went well and we discovered she has a natural back stroke, which is her preferred way to swim. She is now confident and comfortable swimming all over the pool without assistance and we are so relieved that she is now a swimmer.
Sadie Kate, on the other hand, didn't mind going under water, but wanted to do it herself. She absolutely loathed being pushed down to get the dive rings or putting her face in the water to swim to her coach. I thought she would enjoy her lessons more as each day passed, but I was wrong. She woke each morning begging to stay home from swim lessons. Her anxiety lasted the whole week, even after we got home from lessons each day, so much so, that I dreaded swim lessons just as badly. Our perseverence paid off, she completed her week of swim lessons, and she now knows what to do when if she were to fall into a pool. Next year...it's Daddy's turn!
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One of many unhappy moments! |
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Sadie Kate reaching for the side. |
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Refusing to put her face down and swim. |
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5 minutes left on the last day!!! |
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She got them all! |
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Ellie's back stoke |
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Poor Ellie...it was so hot! |